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Juneau Police Department

Questions Posted to "Ask a Dispatcher"

Q. Do you know something about a missing twelve year old girl this afternoon and evening?

Dear Juneau Resident,

A 12 year old girl was lost in the wooded area above Dzantiki Heeni Middle School from 4:43 p.m. to 8:05 p.m. Tuesday night. She was found by searchers and reunited, uninjured, with her family.

The girl reported herself lost and spoke several times with JPD dispatchers using her cell phone. The cell phone battery was going dead. A dispatcher assured the girl that people would be coming to find her and she should stay in one place. She was told to only call out on her phone if she developed a medical emergency.

The girl went into the woods with a friend to search for the friend's lost cell phone. The pair got separated while looking for the phone and the other girl walked out on her own.

The Alaska State Troopers headed up the Search and Rescue efforts. Staff from JPD dispatch and patrol assisted Troopers and SEADOGS with the search. The Juneau Police Department mobile incident command post was deployed to the scene but the girl was found shortly after that additional resource was tapped to help with the search.

The State Troopers may put out a press release that provides more information.

People lost in a remote area with a cell phone are encouraged to call for help as soon as they realize they are lost. Then it is important lost people to stay put and stay off the cell phone. This is to preserve the battery and so dispatch can call to see if the lost people hear sirens or shouts from the searchers.